Exploring Resilience: Learning from Christchurch communities

Understanding community’s resilience to the consequences of infrequent, large events is only possible in the context of the experience of a significant event. Learning what makes communities resilient in real life situations provides us with the evidence-based knowledge needed to develop effective policy and practice and to adequately support communities affected by emergencies. The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management partnered with Massey University, the University of Tasmania and a Christchurch based social research group Opinions Market Research to conduct an inquiry into community resilience following the 22 February 2011 earthquake. Through exploratory workshops and interviews with residents of the eastern suburbs of Sumner, Redcliffs, Southshore, Aranui and Bexley, as well as those living in the central Christchurch City, stories of resilience were recorded. This article summarises community experiences as told by community members themselves. It is hoped that their stories of resilience will inform policy and practice and lead to meaningful integration of community action into emergency response, as the cornerstone of community resilience in disasters.